The development and manufacturing of a range of beverage producing machines, in particular those using portioned ingredients such as capsules or pods, offering different functions and/or different beverage delivery capacities, is complex and costly.
There is a need for rationalizing the development and the manufacturing of the beverage machines while still providing a large range of machines with different functions and options for the consumer.
In particular, it would be an advantage to propose a range of highly versatile beverage producing machines using capsules or pods which can be upgraded, i.e. provided with additional beverage-related functions, at low production costs.
FR 2 554 185 teaches a series of modular elements which can be combined together so as to constitute an espresso coffee beverage system. The modular elements are associated side by side. One element is a coffee producing module. Another element is a steam producing module. Each element comprises an electrical connection.
WO 2007/141334 discloses a modular beverage production system with a docking station and a beverage production module having inter-connected control circuitries. The control circuitry of the module can be disconnected from the circuitry of the docking station for an autonomous control of the module when the module is disconnected from the station.
US 2005/0015263 discloses a network of various food services equipment items that can be controlled from a central computer.